Echocardiographic assessment of children participating in regular sports training

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of a well-controlled endurance training program on cardiac functions and structures in healthy children and to define whether training hours per week and type of sports affect the training-induced cardiovascular response.METHODS: Echocardiographic recordings were obtained in 126 children who systematically participated in sports training at least for 1 year (Study group) and the results were compared with the values obtained in 62 normal children who did not actively engage in any sports activity (Control group). The two groups were comparable for age, sex and body mass index. Study group participants were divided into two groups according to the duration of physical activity (training hours per week; less than 8 hours and more than 8 hours ) and five groups according to cardiovascular demand of sports type. Clinical examination, resting ECG, two dimensional, M Mode and Doppler-echocardiography were obtained in all participants.

RESULTS: Left ventricle wall dimensions, left atrial diameter and aortic measurements were significantly higher in study group. The mean mitral E/A ratio was also significantly higher in training group compared with the untrained subjects (p < 0.001). Echocardiographic measurements were similar between different sports type participants in study group. However, aortic root diameter, left atrial diameter and left ventricle posterior wall diastolic thickness were higher in children training > 8 hours compared with the children training <8 hours per week in study group.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study showed that echocardiographic parameters of children participating in regular sports training activities statistically significantly exceeded the parameters of untrained controls. These parameters were mostly dependent on the duration of training hours per week